The present invention generally relates to a fastening tool for dispensing fasteners from a magazine assembly into a workpiece and more specifically to an improved magazine assembly for a fastening tool.
A number of pneumatically operated devices have been developed for use in driving fasteners, such as staples and nails, into workpieces. These tools typically employ a magazine assembly for holding a plurality of the fasteners and feeding the fasteners into the nose of the tool prior to the installation of the fasteners into a workpiece.
Despite the wide spread use of such tools, several drawbacks have been noted. One such drawback concerns the use of a secondary lever to release the position of a nail pusher or follower structure from a lowered and locked condition after the loading of fasteners into the magazine assembly. Such mechanisms are often times cumbersome to operate and tend to increase the weight and overall cost of the magazine assembly.
In one preferred form, the present invention provides a magazine assembly for holding and progressively dispensing a plurality of fasteners. The magazine assembly includes a magazine housing and a feed mechanism for feeding the fasteners through a hollow cavity in the magazine housing toward a dispensing end of the magazine housing. The feed mechanism includes a fastener follower, which is configured to support the fasteners in the magazine housing, and which includes a cam device. The feed mechanism also includes a cam follower that is coupled to the magazine housing at an end opposite the dispensing end. The cam follower alternately engages the cam device, such that the fastener follower is restrained from movement toward the dispensing end of the magazine housing, and disengages the cam device. Disengagement of the cam follower from the cam device occurs solely from downward motion of the fastener follower relative to the cam follower beyond a predetermined disengaging point.
In another preferred form, the present invention provides a clamp mechanism for removably coupling a magazine assembly to a tool without resort to the use of tools.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.